17:09, 13 January 2010

President of Georgia presents three candidates for CEC chairmanship

On January 11, President of Georgia named three candidates for the post of the chairman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC). He made his choice out of 14 nominees, moved by public and nongovernmental organizations at a meeting with him to Batumi.

The candidates include the incumbent CEC Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili who was nominated by NGO "Freedom Institute", economist Zurab Haratishvili, who also worked for the CEC in the group for monitoring expenditures, and Judge of the Constitutional Court Otar Sichinava. Out of the selected candidates, one should be approved as the Chairman.

Initially, six members of the CEC, moved there by oppositional parties, will make their choice. The remaining six CEC members cannot affect the decision of the oppositional colleagues. Should the CEC fail to elect its Chair, the right to elect will pass over to the parliament.

Author: Beslan Kmuzov

Source: CK correspondent